Construction of canal-boats



J. 0. SMITH. Construction of Canal Boats.

No. 232,081 Patented Sept. 7, I880.

WITNESSES:

' ATTORNEYS.

TOR M N. PErERS. PHOYO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTGN. D c,

JOHN 0. SMITH, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

CONSTRUCTION OF CANAL-BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,081, datedSeptember 7, 1880.

Application filed February 20, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN OWEN SMITH, of Savannah, in the county of(lhath am and State of Georgia, have invented a new and ImprovedConstruction of Canal-Boats and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich-- Figure l is an underneath view of the hull. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section Fig. 3, a section through the line :r w of Fig. 2;Fig. 4, a section through line y y of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, an end view. Fig.6 is an enlarged detail, showing the construction of the links of thepropeller-chain.

My invention relates to an improved construction of boat designed moreparticularly for use on canals, shallow rivers, &c., and formed with aview to the production of the least possible waves in the water, so asto avoid the washing of the bank. It is an improvement in that generalclass of boats which are propelled by an endless chain revolving in alongitudinal channel around two sprocketwheels.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction of the boat-hull inconnection with the propeller, and in the peculiar construction of theendless chain forming the propeller, as hereinafter fully described, andpointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents the lower portion of the hull of a boat.vThe general shape is rectangular, the sides being straight,perpendicular, and parallel,and theends square or right-angular. Thesides of the hull are extended at a at their full depth to the end,while each end, between the sides, is cut away and tapered to ahorizontal edge, I), leaving the sides to form walled extension at eachend.

Through the middle of the bottom portion of the hull is formed thelongitudinal channel 0, which channel opens with its full area at thefront end, but does not run out at the rear end, but dips down at apoint, 61, about one-third the distance from the stern, into the planeof the lowest portion of the hull. In the forward portion of thischannel, and near the bow of the boat, are arranged the twosprocketwheels B B, being placed just far enough apart to clear eachother. These wheels have sprockets or forks and polygonal rims, asshown, and around them passes the endless propeller-chain G, composed oflink 0, formed of buckets or paddles and side bars of equal widthjointed upon cross-rodsf, the cross-bars lit-ting in the sprockets andthe side bars resting on the polygonal rims of the wheels.

The objectin making the sidebars of thelinks of the propeller-chainequal to the depth of the buckets is to prevent the water from burstingsidewise from the buckets. The buckets have also their lower edges inadvance and their top edges inclined to the rear, the object being toprevent the buckets from carrying dead water when rising at the sternand permit them to be more easily cleared of the same.

Now, as the boat advances through the water, it will be seen that theside walls, a a, in front cut the water, and as the sides are perfectlystraight there is no wave or ripple given off from the boat, anydisturbance which takes place between the walls being smothered underthe boat.

The propelling-chain takes the water which enters through the openchannel in front, and, after having exerted a pull thereupon for thepropulsion of the boat, discharges the water to the rear. This water, ifdischarged freely at the stern, would produce considerable wave motionbut being forced down by the termination of the channel at d, it becomesquieted before it gains the open surface of the water. The stern of theboat also being provided with side walls, a a, any disturbance of thewater which takes place at the rear is contained between said sidewalls, and is broken without resolving itself into progressive waves.

To serve the purpose of a keel, longitudinal flanges g g are left on thebottom edges of the sides, and h h on each side of the channel, therudder i being located in the rear of the channel, as shown.

I have thus far only described the lower portion of the hull of theboat, as my invention is confined to these parts, it being obvious thatthe deck or superstructure may be made to conform to the special use forwhich the boat is to be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- IOC 1. Theboat-hull, taperedat its ends toahorizontal edge and havingperpendicular side walls, a a, and a ch annel 0, opening at its frontand throughout. its length into the water, and terminz'lting short ofthe length of the boat, in combination with the sprocket-wheels B B,located in the forward part of channel 0, and

the endless chain passing around said wheels,

substantially and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the boat hull and the sprocket-wheels, thepropelling-chain con- I sisting of links 0, formed of inclined bucketsand side bars of equal depth, and cross-rods f, for coupling the same,as shown and described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 19th (1a ofFebruary, 1880.

JOHN 0. SMITH. Witnesses:

'EDWD. W. BYRN, SoLoN (J. KEMoN.

